Farmington child molester dies in Bonne Terre prison

An Farmington man recently convicted and sentenced for child molestation has died in the state prison in Bonne Terre.

53-year-old Danny Schoonover was pronounced dead Monday night after being found by officers at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center.

Schoonover had only been an inmate for 3 days after he was sentenced to 25 years in prison for first-degree statutory sodomy and first-degree child molestation.

Schoonover was convicted for 2 separate incidents where he touched an 8-year-old girl inappropriately.

An autopsy will be performed to determine a cause of death.